SARGODHA: More than 100 people have die under dumper trucks, mostly altered and modified locally, in the last six months in Sargodha division.

Traffic education in charge Malik Ashraf told APP that a survey revealed that dumper trucks were being altered, modified, and in some cases even manufactured in the city and its suburban areas. Local mechanics are modifying the loader-trucks in violation of rules and regulations. “We manufacture heavy trucks on demand of customers and task is carried out only by experts,” a mechanic told APP.

“No inspection of locally made dumper-trucks is ever carried out by any department, while the traffic police challan the big vehicles only when they enter the city,” a truck driver said. However, he added, fitness certificate was also available for these trucks. He admitted that a large number of trucks were plying the roads without fitness certificates. The truck owners receive certificates by presenting simple truck for inspection and later on modifications are carried out on them.

The traffic police official said vehicles’ inspection was necessary for and strict compliance in load management was being ensured. He said that vehicle inspection department was also making efforts to handle the situation effectively adding that entry of heavy traffic was restricted in densely populated areas of the city.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2018